NHL 2026-27 Preseason: Battle Before Regular Season Starts!
NHL 2026-27: Preseason Overview
The NHL preseason is the first opportunity for fans to observe the preparations of teams for the upcoming season. Coaches experiment with different line combinations, defense pairs, and goalies. Another aspect of the preseason games is the possibility for young players to earn a spot on the team. This season’s preseason becomes particularly interesting because of its reduced number of games. Therefore, coaches have less time to test their teams prior to the start of the regular season. Also, fans can learn about the new signings, prospects, and combinations of each team earlier. In this article, we analyze some selected games and emphasize two key matches. We also compare team stats, player metrics, and important performance indicators.
NHL 2026-27: Event Details
Core Season & Playoff Milestones
Target Date(s)
Verified Event / Milestone
Critical Context & Details
September 19, 2026
Preseason Schedule Begins
Action starts with a regional slate featuring matches like Dallas at St. Louis.
September 29, 2026
Regular Season Opening Night
The season starts with 5 games on 29 Sep, which includes an ESPN tripleheader in the US and a sportsnet doubleheader in Canada.
April 10, 2027
Regular Season Concludes
Final day of the regular season, closing out a total of 1,344 games across all 32 teams.
April 2027
Stanley Cup Playoffs Begin
The top 16 teams advance to postseason elimination rounds.
June 2027
Stanley Cup Final
The championship series will be broadcast on TNT in the U.S. and Sportsnet in Canada.
Special Marquee & Outdoor Games
Event Window
Marquee Event
Matchup & Location
October 25, 2026
NHL Heritage Classic
Montreal Canadiens vs. Winnipeg Jets (Winnipeg, MB at Princess Auto Stadium).
November 12 & 14, 2026
NHL Global Series: Finland
Carolina Hurricanes vs. Seattle Kraken (Helsinki, Finland at Veikkaus Arena).
December 18 & 20, 2026
NHL Global Series: Germany
Chicago Blackhawks vs. Ottawa Senators (Düsseldorf, Germany at PSD Bank Dome).
December 31, 2026
NHL Winter Classic
Colorado Avalanche vs. Utah Mammoth (Salt Lake City, UT at Rice–Eccles Stadium).
February 20, 2027
NHL Stadium Series
Vegas Golden Knights vs. Dallas Stars (Arlington, TX at AT&T Stadium).
NHL All-Star Weekend
February 5, 2027: NHL All-Star Skills Competition – Featuring 10 Stars under age 25 competing in eight events.
February 6, 2027: NHL All-Star Game Tournament – Five 11- player teams representing Canada, Finland, Sweden, USA, and the World compete in a 3-on-3 round-robin tournament.
NHL Preseason Schedule
Date & Day
Home
Away
ET
PT
IST
Venue
September 19, 2026 – Saturday
St. Louis Blues
Dallas Stars
7:00 PM
4:00 PM
4:30 AM (Next day)
Enterprise Center, St. Louis
September 19, 2026 – Saturday
Toronto Maple Leafs
Montreal Canadiens
7:00 PM
4:00 PM
4:30 AM (Next day)
Scotiabank Arena, Toronto
September 19, 2026 – Saturday
Montreal Canadiens
Toronto Maple Leafs
7:00 PM
4:00 PM
4:30 AM (Next day)
Centre Bell, Montreal
September 19, 2026 – Saturday
Edmonton Oilers
Winnipeg Jets
8:00 PM
5:00 PM
5:30 AM (Next day)
Rogers Place, Edmonton
September 19, 2026 – Saturday
Minnesota Wild
Chicago Blackhawks
8:00 PM
5:00 PM
5:30 AM (Next day)
Grand Casino Arena, Minnesota
September 19, 2026 – Saturday
Seattle Kraken
Vancouver Canucks
9:00 PM
6:00 PM
6:30 AM (Next day)
Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle
September 19, 2026 – Saturday
Los Angeles Kings
Vegas Golden Knights
9:00 PM
6:00 PM
6:30 AM (Next day)
Toyota Arena, Ontario, California
September 20, 2026 – Sunday
New Jersey Devils
New York Islanders
1:00 PM
10:00 AM
10:30 PM
Prudential Center
Where Can You Watch NHL Preseason Games?
Country / Region
Broadcasting Option
Canada
Sportsnet; TVA Sports for French-language coverage
United States
ESPN, ABC, TNT, HBO Max Streaming, ESPN+ and Hulu
India, Germany
NHL.TV on DAZN
United Kingdom
NHL.TV on DAZN; Viaplay also has NHL coverage
Denmark
Viaplay
Finland
Disney+ with ESPN; select games on Star Channel
Norway
Viaplay
Sweden
Disney+ with ESPN
Iceland
Viaplay/ NHL.TV on DAZN
Poland
Viaplay/ NHL.TV on DAZN
Estonia
Go3 Open/ Go3, NHL.TV on DAZN
Latvia
Go3 Open/ Go3, NHL.TV on DAZN
Lithuania
Go3 Open/ Go3, NHL.TV on DAZN
Middle East
NHL.TV on DAZN in listed territories
Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines
NHL.TV on DAZN
Africa
NHL.TV on DAZN in listed territories
Other eligible international markets
NHL.TV on DAZN
Australia
Select games on ESPN, 9Go! and 9Now; all games on Disney+
New Zealand
Select games on ESPN; all games on Disney+
Germany
Select games on Sky Sports; other games on NHL.TV on DAZN
France
Select games on beIN; other games on NHL.TV on DAZN
Austria
Select games on Sky Sports; other games on NHL.TV on DAZN
Switzerland
Select games on MySports and TV24; NHL.TV on DAZN also available.
According to the NHL viewing guide, DAZN serves as the home of NHLTV for the international community. India falls within the territories listed by the NHL viewing guide for the 2026-27 season. Broadcast options can vary by game and territory.
Two NHL Preseason Games to Watch
Match 1: Montreal Canadiens vs Toronto Maple Leafs
Event
Details
Match
Montreal Canadiens vs Toronto Maple Leafs
Date
19 September 2026 (Saturday)
Time
07:00 PM ET | 04:00 PM PT | 04:30 AM IST (Next day)
Venue
Centre Bell, Montreal
Competition
NHL Preseason
Season
2026–27
NHL Expected Lineups
Montreal Canadiens
Unit
Players
Line 1
Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, Juraj Slafkovsky
Line 2
Alex Newhook, Oliver Kapanen, Ivan Demidov
Line 3
Alexandre Texier, Phillip Danault, Josh Anderson
Line 4
Zachary Bolduc, Jake Evans, Kirby Dach
Defense Pair 1
Mike Matheson, Noah Dobson
Defense Pair 2
Lane Hutson, Kaiden Guhle
Defense Pair 3
Jayden Struble, Alexandre Carrier
Goalies
Jakub Dobes, Jacob Fowler
Toronto Maple Leafs
Unit
Players
Line 1
Matthew Knies, Auston Matthews, Jack Roslovic
Line 2
Gavin McKenna, John Tavares, William Nylander
Line 3
Nick Paul, Colton Sissons, Easton Cowan
Line 4
Dakota Joshua, Teddy Blueger, Brandon Duhaime
Defense Pair 1
Jake McCabe, Darren Raddysh
Defense Pair 2
Morgan Rielly, Chris Tanev
Defense Pair 3
Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Emil Andrae
Goalies
Sergei Bobrovsky, Anthony Stolarz
NHL Performance KPI Comparison (2025-26)
KPI
Montreal Canadiens
Toronto Maple Leafs
2025–26 Record
48-24-10
32-36-14
Points
106
78
Goals For
279
252
Goals Against
251
295
Goal Difference
+28
-43
Goals Per Game
3.40
3.07
Shots Per Game
26.29
26.33
Shots Against Per Game
27.84
32.45
Shooting %
12.9%
11.7%
Save %
.890
.889
Power Play
23.1%
21.3%
Penalty Kill
78.2%
81.2%
Key Players
Team
Player
2025–26 Regular Season
Montreal
Nick Suzuki
29 G, 72 A, 101 P
Montreal
Cole Caufield
51 G, 37 A, 88 P
Montreal
Juraj Slafkovsky
30 G, 43 A, 73 P
Toronto
William Nylander
79 P
Toronto
John Tavares
31 G, 40 A, 71 P
Toronto
Auston Matthews
27 G, 26 A, 53 P
Match Analysis and My Pick
Montreal heads into this pre-season fixture with better statistics in the 2025-26 season. The Habs have scored 3.40 goals per game. Toronto, on the other hand, has an average of 3.07 goals per game. Montreal conceded fewer shots and goals. Montreal has a total of 106 points while Toronto has 78 points. Montreal has a better power-play percentage of 23.1%. Toronto’s 81.2% penalty kill is definitely one of their strengths. Overall, though, Montreal has a much more balanced team with good competitiveness. With players such as Suzuki, Caufield, and Demidov, Montreal has significant attacking quality.
The pick: Montreal Canadiens
Match 2: Edmonton Oilers vs Winnipeg Jets
Event
Details
Match
Edmonton Oilers vs Winnipeg Jets
Date
19 September 2026 (Saturday)
Time
08:00 PM ET | 05:00 PM PT | 05:30 AM IST (Next day)
The 2026 preseason for the Edmonton Oilers and Winnipeg Jets starts at Rogers Place. The Oilers enter this matchup with a very good preseason track record against the Winnipeg Jets. The Oilers have won three of their last six preseason matches against the Jets. The Winnipeg Jets have only managed one win in the same period. The situation between the goalies becomes another key point for the Jets. The goalie Connor Hellebuyck is suspended from playing because he did not report to training camp. Edmonton will come into this matchup with more stability between the posts. Preseason results can change quickly because coaches rotate players. However, consider recent direct confrontation results and the current roster situation.
The pick: Edmonton Oilers
Key Factors That Could Decide the Games
Goaltending
A good goaltender can immediately alter the direction of the preseason game. Great saves can ensure that teams stay safe from their defensive errors.
Forward Synergy
Coaches will be keeping an eye on forward synergy on the ice. Good synergies may well carry into the season ahead.
Defensive Setup
Great positioning can minimize scoring opportunities for the opponent. Pairing up defenses will continue to be something worth tracking.
Special Teams
Power plays provide great opportunities to score. Penalty kills help to prevent any momentum from being shifted.
Roster Depth
The preseason games allow depth players to shine. Their performance can affect the rosters for the upcoming season.
Conclusion
The NHL preseason provides a number of opportunities for the teams to experiment with their players and formations. The two selected games have some interesting storylines before the beginning of the regular season. Montreal and Toronto have a lot of offensive weapons and interesting combinations in their rosters. Edmonton and Winnipeg provide another intriguing match between two teams from the Western Conference. The stats for the 2025- 26 season help compare teams. In terms of their scoring ability, shots per game, defense, and special teams’ performance. However, rosters during preseason games may differ, and the final regular-season outcomes will likely be very different.